“Kneel before your king!” one of the guards commanded, and the crowd was quick to obey.
Rae’s jaw tightened. She sank to her knees with a curse on her tongue, and the other rebels followed suit.
King Meryamun gave no preamble; everyone knew why they were there. “If you are older than twenty, you may go,” he declared.
About two dozen people rose to their feet and departed, silent and downcast.
“If you cannot read the common script, you may go.”
Others withdrew, including Buto. He gave them a helpless shrug before exiting. Luckily, both Omari and Tamerit knew enough from their training as merchants to pass muster. Only about thirty people remained.
The king began walking through the crowd, assessing each person with a piercing gaze. He waved away a woman with burn scars on her arms, and two young men whose clothes were ragged and unclean. Finally, he stopped in front of a woman and smiled. “You’ll do,” he said.
The woman stood, bowed, and moved to stand next to the guards. The king continued, plucking people from the crowd like blooms in a garden. Rae quickly noted a pattern—he was choosing the loveliest faces.To match the rest of the furniture, Rae thought bitterly.
Then Meryamun was upon them. Rae’s entire body tensed in anticipation.
“Mmm,” the king mused, studying Omari. “He’s a brute all right. Quite an impressive figure.” There was a long moment when Rae thought Omari would be chosen, but then the king shook his head. “Tempting, but no. Only a fool brings a wild bull into his house.”
Rae’s hopes began to fade as a scowling Omari rose and left.
What will we do if this plan doesn’t work? How am I going to save my father?
The king stopped in front of Tamerit, and Rae was suddenly overcome with a new worry.
“Oh, yes. I like this one,” Meryamun said to the nearest guard, his voice soft and eager. “She’s perfect for the kitchens. And perhaps other activities as well.”
Tam rose to her feet, and Rae’s vision narrowed as a hot, angry flush rose up from her chest, screaming for release.Don’t you touch her, don’t you touch her…
Beneath her, the earth seemed to tremble, though it must have been her imagination.
“And what do we have here?”
Rae glanced up. The young pharaoh stood over her. She straightened, contorting her face into what she hoped was a pleasant expression. “My king,” she said, reluctantly bowing her head.
“Another rare specimen,” Meryamun said. Rae remained still, trying not to recoil as his gaze roved over her body.
You must impress him, she told herself.If he doesn’t choose you, Tam will go into the palace all alone. Into our enemy’s house. And perhaps into a monster’s bed.
The king lifted the Sekhmet amulet from Rae’s chest and regarded it with interest. “The Lady of Slaughter, hmm? You do look fierce. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen such arms on a woman before.” He ran his tongue along his teeth, considering. “You’ve got fire in your eyes. I like that. However, it seems equally unwise to invite a lioness into my house as a bull.” He dropped the amulet and started to move on.
No. No!
Without thinking, Rae reached for his arm. “Wait,” she said.
The guard was upon her in an instant, his blade loosed from his belt. “You dare touch the pharaoh?” He seized her by the wrist and didn’t let go. “You’ll not leave this place with a hand that has defiled the king.”
Surrounded by guards and the cowering crowd, with Tam looking on in alarm, Rae’s stomach twisted. She clenched her captured hand and thought of her father, what he’d lost, and how hard he’d fought to protect her from the same fate.
The guard placed the edge of his khopesh against her skin, taking aim before the blow.
Rae shut her eyes and whispered to the heavens. “Hear me, Ra, Maker of Hours, Lord of Days, hear me and cast your lightupon me. Burn away the fear in my heart, and watch over me so that I may see you again tomorrow...”
She waited for the swish of the blade, for the bite of pain, but it didn’t come. Confused, she cautiously lifted her head. The guard had lowered his weapon and waited while Meryamun conferred with the young girl she’d seen accompanying him.
“You wantthisone?” the pharaoh said. “Why her?”
The girl’s narrow face turned to Rae. There was something strange about her, something almost feline, that sent a frisson of unease up Rae’s spine. When the girl spoke, her voice was high and sweet, but the words were carefully chosen, as if spoken by one much older than she.
